COVO interiors renovates a 1940s grandfather house in portugal

the house of grandfather martinho is COVO interiors’ first project, and represents everything the designers believe in: honoring past life, the importance of individuality within a village, and protection manifested in the house’s materiality. the renovated house was created for an interior designer’s family of four while respecting the existing place and original materials. the original house was built in the 1940s when grandfather martinho returned from brazil to the small village of touro, portugal.

the house is filled with memories and curiosities, with moments that reminisce days past. with granite floors, windows that open to the street and the mountains, and rooms that look into the courtyards, the home provides an inviting atmosphere for the family.

the grandfather’s house makes up the main block of the project, which includes the main areas divided in two floors of 55sqm each. the ground floor, formerly the place for the animals, gave way to the living room and kitchen. the space features a box of oakwood enclosing the staircase and sanitary facilities, for a more free floorplan. the upper floor includes both bedrooms and their respective bathrooms.

the adjacent building where the grandfather kept the cereals and wine was transformed into a small studio for the owner to work in. the exterior was preserved to the fullest, respecting the original facade and its surroundings. the thick stone walls were cut through by white, glazed boxes that reveal the interiors and bring lightness and balance on the stacked stone structure.

various restorations around the house brought modernity to the age-old design. the grille of the wrought-iron porch was restored as well as the roof frame, taking advantage of the original structure of chestnut wood. the marseille tiles were replaced with lighter colored materials in a minimalist language. the simple design visually opens up the space that is already quite reduced itself. the house is adorned with simple elements in neutral colors with notes of moss green that refer to the surrounding nature.

next to the house, lies the annex that includes the garage and other service and storage areas. the space was formerly used to store the hay for the animals, and the designers thought to keep the historical essence attached to the volume yet make it contemporary. as a modern intervention, they added an inverted cover that creates a terrace overlooking the nave’s mountain range. the detail of the elevated, illuminated roof separates the stone masonry from the flat cover appearing as floating over the building.

while keeping the traditional appearance and inspired by previous generations, the designers renovated the spaces to fit the comfort of modern life while keeping the memory. creating functional areas, the house maintains its original character with new solutions and filled with natural light.

project info:

project name: house of grandfather martinho

designers: COVO interiors 

location: touro, portugal

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: cristina gomez | designboom